BROOM-RAPE FAMILY.Orobanchaceae.

Scarlet Penstemon—P. Torreyi.Yawning Penstemon—P. breviflorus.

Scarlet Penstemon—P. Torreyi.Yawning Penstemon—P. breviflorus.

Scarlet Penstemon—P. Torreyi.Yawning Penstemon—P. breviflorus.

Scarlet Penstemon—P. Torreyi.Yawning Penstemon—P. breviflorus.

Chinese HousesCollínsia bícolorPurple and whiteSpring, summerCalifornia

These are charming plants, from six inches to a foot and a half tall, with very delicately made flowers. The leaves are smooth or downy and more or less toothed, with rough edges, and the flowers are arranged in a series of one-sided clusters along the upper part of the stem, which is more or less branching. The corollas are about three-quarters of an inch long and vary in color, being sometimes all white. In the shady woods around Santa Barbara they often have a white upper lip, which is tipped with lilac and specked with crimson, and a lilac lower lip, and here they are much more delicate in appearance than on the sea-cliffs at La Jolla, where they grow in quantities among the bushes and are exceedingly showy. In the latter neighborhood the flowers are nearly an inch long and the upper lip is almost all white and marked with a crescent of crimson specks above a magenta base, and the lower lip is almost all magenta, with a white stripe at the center, the contrast between the magenta and white being very striking and almost too crude. The arrangement of the flowers is somewhat suggestive of the many stories of a Chinese pagoda and the plant is common.

Blue-lipsCollínsia multiflòraLilac, blue, and pinkSummerNorthwest

A very attractive little plant, smooth all over, about six inches tall, with toothless, light green leaves and pretty flowers, each over half an inch long. The upper petals are pinkish-lilac, the lower petals a peculiar shade of bright blue, and the tube is pink; the contrast between the blue and pink giving an odd and pretty effect. This grows in the woods around Mt. Shasta.

There are many kinds of Scrophularia, most of them natives of Europe. They are rank perennial herbs, usually with opposite leaves; the corolla with no spur and with five lobes, all erect except the lowest one, which is small and turned back; the stamens five, four of them with anthers and the fifth reduced to a scale under the upper lip. These plants are supposed to be a remedy for scrofula.

Blue-lips—C. multiflora.Chinese Houses—Collinsia bicolor.

Blue-lips—C. multiflora.Chinese Houses—Collinsia bicolor.

Blue-lips—C. multiflora.Chinese Houses—Collinsia bicolor.

Blue-lips—C. multiflora.Chinese Houses—Collinsia bicolor.

California Bee-plantScrophulària CalifórnicaRed, greenSpring, summerNorthwest, Cal.

This is a coarse plant, smooth, or rather sticky and hairy, with several stout, square stems, and forming a large clump, from two to six feet high. The little flowers have a quaint appearance, but are usually only about a quarter of an inch long, with brownish-red or greenish corollas, which are neither pretty nor conspicuous, but the varietyfloribúnda, of southern California, has flowers which are nearly half an inch long, with rich red corollas, handsome and brilliant in effect. These plants yield a great deal of honey and are common and widely distributed.

There are several kinds of Diplacus, much resembling Mimulus, except that they are shrubs, with evergreen leaves.

Sticky Monkey-flower, Bush Monkey-flowerDiplácus longiflòrus (Mimulus)Salmon-color (varying from pale yellow to red)Spring, summerCalifornia

When in full bloom, this is a handsome and very conspicuous shrub, for the flowers are numerous and unusual in coloring, being usually a peculiar shade of salmon-color, which at a distance gives the effect in the landscape of some sort of exotic rhododendron. It is from two to six feet high, with very dark green, sticky, usually toothless leaves, with their margins rolled back, dark sticky buds and large flowers, which are sometimes three inches long, the corolla varying in color from almost white to scarlet, with a white stigma. They bloom more or less all the year round and there are several similar, named varieties.

Bush Monkey-flowerDiplácus puníceus (Mimulus)RedSpring, summer, autumnCalifornia

This is much like the last, and is often very handsome. In the crevices of the sea-cliffs at La Jolla it makes tangled thickets of woody stems and dark green foliage, ornamented with many scarlet or rich deep-red flowers, with a velvety surface like that of a pansy and with orange ribs in the throat. This is common throughout California.

Bush Monkey-flower—Diplacus longiflorus.

Bush Monkey-flower—Diplacus longiflorus.

Bush Monkey-flower—Diplacus longiflorus.

Bush Monkey-flower—Diplacus longiflorus.

California Bee-plant—Scrophularia Californica var. floribunda.

California Bee-plant—Scrophularia Californica var. floribunda.

California Bee-plant—Scrophularia Californica var. floribunda.

California Bee-plant—Scrophularia Californica var. floribunda.

There are many kinds of Mimulus, or Monkey-flower, usually growing in moist places, with erect or slanting, juicy stems; leaves opposite, usually toothed; flowers generally handsome, on flower-stalks from the axils of the leaves; calyx covering the tube of the corolla, bell-shaped, five-angled and five-toothed, upper tooth usually larger; corolla two-lipped, the upper lip with two lobes, erect or turned back, the lower with three, rounded, spreading lobes, the tube not swollen at base and with a pair of ridges within on the lower side; stamens four, in pairs, not inclosed in the upper lip, their two anther-cells spreading apart, no rudiment of a fifth stamen; style threadlike, stigma with two, flat, spreading tips. When an insect alights it touches the stigma, which immediately folds its tips together, thus exposing the anthers, so that the insect becomes dusted with pollen. This can be observed by touching the stigma with a pencil. The odd little grinning face of these flowers suggested both the common name and the Greek, derived from "ape."

Monkey-flowerMímulus brévipesYellowSpringCalifornia

A very handsome plant, from one to two feet high, rather hairy and sticky all over, with dark green leaves, usually toothless, and large, clear bright yellow flowers, an inch and a half long, with a pair of ridges in the throat and a pale green stigma. This grows on hillsides, the rich green foliage and bronze-colored buds contrasting finely with the bright flowers. The leaves are quite unlike those of the Common Yellow Monkey-flower.

Pink Monkey-flowerMímulus LewísiiPinkSpring, summerWest, etc.

A graceful mountain perennial, growing near streams, from two to three feet tall, with bright green, toothed leaves, thin in texture, more or less hairy, without leafstalks; the stems and buds slightly sticky. The lovely flowers are nearly two inches long, the corolla varying from pale pink to rose-red, with two, hairy, yellow ridges in the throat, the stamens not protruding from the tube. This pink kind takes the place in the high mountains of the Scarlet Monkey-flower of lower altitudes and is found as far east as Colorado.

Pink Monkey-flower—Mimulus Lewisii.

Pink Monkey-flower—Mimulus Lewisii.

Pink Monkey-flower—Mimulus Lewisii.

Pink Monkey-flower—Mimulus Lewisii.

Monkey-flower—Mimulus brevipes.

Monkey-flower—Mimulus brevipes.

Monkey-flower—Mimulus brevipes.

Monkey-flower—Mimulus brevipes.

Scarlet Monkey-flowerMímulus cardinàlisRedSpring, summerSouthwest. Oreg.

An exceedingly handsome kind, sometimes nearly five feet high, much like the last, but with vivid scarlet corollas, decidedly two-lipped, the upper lip erect and the lower lobes turned back, the stamens protruding from the tube. I first saw these gorgeous flowers glowing like bits of flame among the ferns and grasses that bordered a beautiful spring in a cave in the Grand Canyon, where icy water fell on them drop by drop through a crevice in the rocky roof far above them and kept them glistening with moisture. This is often cultivated in gardens.

Little Yellow Monkey-flowerMímulus primuloìdesYellowSummerCal., Oreg.

A charming little plant, from three to six inches tall, with pretty delicate flowers, from half an inch to an inch long, the corolla-lobes all alike, bright yellow, often dotted with crimson, growing singly on the tips of very slender flower-stalks, springing from a cluster of bright yellowish-green leaves, usually toothed, smooth, or sometimes hairy. This grows in moist mountain meadows.

Little Pink Monkey-flowerMímulus TórreyiPinkSummerCalifornia

A delicate little plant, from three inches to a foot high, rather hairy and sticky, with very slender branching stems, yellowish-green, toothless leaves, and bright flowers, about three-quarters of an inch long, with almost no flower-stalks; the corolla-lobes pink, veined with purple, the tube crimson, with two yellow ridges in the throat. A patch of these little flowers scattered over a sandy slope in Yosemite, sometimes growing with a tiny blue and white Lupine that likes the same sort of place, is an exceedingly pretty sight. It grows in the mountains, preferring moderate altitudes, becoming lower and deeper in color in higher places.

Desert Monkey-flowerMímulus FremóntiiPinkSpringCalifornia

A charming little plant, something like the last but prettier, three or four inches tall, with very slender, stiff, purplish, branching stems and smooth, thickish, light green leaves, purplish on the under side. The flowers are nearly an inch across, with a hairy calyx and brightpurplish-pink corolla, streaked with magenta, with yellow ridges on the lower lip and plaits inside the throat. They look exceedingly pretty on the pale sand of the Mojave Desert.

Desert Monkey-flower—M. Fremontii.Little Pink Monkey-flower—M. Torreyi.Little Yellow Monkey-flower—Mimulus primuloides.

Desert Monkey-flower—M. Fremontii.Little Pink Monkey-flower—M. Torreyi.Little Yellow Monkey-flower—Mimulus primuloides.

Desert Monkey-flower—M. Fremontii.Little Pink Monkey-flower—M. Torreyi.Little Yellow Monkey-flower—Mimulus primuloides.

Desert Monkey-flower—M. Fremontii.Little Pink Monkey-flower—M. Torreyi.Little Yellow Monkey-flower—Mimulus primuloides.

Common Yellow Monkey-flowerMímulus LangsdórfiiYellowSpring, summerSouthwest, Utah, etc.

There are several varieties of this common and attractive plant, some tall and robust, others very short. The stems are smooth, not sticky, thickish and pale, sometimes branching, about a foot tall, and the leaves are from one to three inches long, smooth, or slightly downy, especially on the under side of the upper leaves, and usually bright green, the veins prominent on the back, the upper leaves without leaf-stalks and more or less clasping, the lower ones with leaf-stalks varying in length. The flowers are from three-quarters of an inch to two inches long, clear bright yellow, the throat nearly closed and hairy, usually with some dark red dots between the hairy ridges on the lower lip. This grows in wet places in the mountains and in canyons, is widely distributed in the West, and has now strayed as far east as Connecticut.

Musk-plantMímulus moschàtusYellowSpring, summerWest, etc.

This plant is more or less hairy and seems to be wet all over with slimy dew and smells of musk. When the stems are cut and put in water a slimy sort of mucilage drips from them. It is about ten inches tall, with rather pretty yellow flowers, barely an inch long, with some hairs and reddish specks in the throat. This is widely distributed, in wet places, from Ontario westward.

There are numerous kinds of Orthocarpus, many of them Californian, difficult to distinguish. Like Castilleja, their upper leaves often pass into colored bracts and the calyx is colored, but the corolla is not similar, for the upper lip is small and the three-lobed lower lip is swollen and conspicuous; calyx short, four-cleft; stamens four, two of them short, enclosed in the upper lip; style long, with a round-top stigma; leaves without leaf-stalks, usually alternate, often cut into three to five narrow divisions; fruit an oblong capsule with many seeds. Perhaps it is called Owl's-clover because, in some kinds, the flowers look like the faces of owls.

Musk-plant—M. moschatus.Common Yellow Monkey-flower—Mimulus Langsdorfii.

Musk-plant—M. moschatus.Common Yellow Monkey-flower—Mimulus Langsdorfii.

Musk-plant—M. moschatus.Common Yellow Monkey-flower—Mimulus Langsdorfii.

Musk-plant—M. moschatus.Common Yellow Monkey-flower—Mimulus Langsdorfii.

Yellow Pelican FlowerOrthocàrpus faucibarbàtusYellow, whitishSpringCalifornia

One of the handsomest of its kind, a fine thrifty plant, but not at all coarse, and much prettier and more effective than the next. The branching stem is about a foot tall, and the leaves are very light, bright yellowish-green, and thin in texture. The flowers are about an inch long, with very clear bright yellow "pouches" and greenish "beaks" tipped with white. They have a curiously solid appearance, as if carved out of yellow wax, and are very pleasing and fresh in color, harmonizing well with the light green bracts, which give a very feathery effect to the top of the cluster. Like most of its relations, the flowers are more effective when we look down on them, growing among the grass, than when they are picked and we see them in profile. The corollas are sometimes pinkish-white. This is common in the valleys of the Coast Ranges.

Johnny-tuckOrthocàrpus eriánthusYellowSpringCal., Oreg.

From five to ten inches tall, with a slender, downy, purplish stem, often branching, dull green, downy leaves and purplish-tipped bracts. The sulphur-yellow flowers are usually an inch long, with a magenta "beak" and a very slender, white tube. They are pretty and very common on plains.

Pink Johnny-tuck, Pink Popcorn FlowerOrthocàrpus eriánthus var. rosèusPinkSpringCalifornia

A delicate little plant, from five to ten inches tall, with a slender, downy, reddish stem, hairy, dull green leaves and bracts, and very pretty little flowers, nearly an inch long; the corollas varying from almost white to bright pink, but all the same shade on one plant, with a little yellow at the center and a maroon-colored "beak." They are deliciously sweet-scented, like violets, and grow in dry places. The varietyversícolor, Popcorn Beauty, has fragrant white flowers.

Yellow Owl's CloverOrthocàrpus lùteusYellowSummerWest, etc.

This often makes patches of bright color. It is from six to twelve inches tall, with stiff, slender, hairy stems, hairy leaves, and pretty bright yellow flowers, nearly half an inch long. This grows in dry sunny places as far east as Colorado, reaching an altitude of ten thousand feet.

Johnny-Tuck—Orthocarpus erianthus.Yellow Pelican Flower—O. faucibarbatus.

Johnny-Tuck—Orthocarpus erianthus.Yellow Pelican Flower—O. faucibarbatus.

Johnny-Tuck—Orthocarpus erianthus.Yellow Pelican Flower—O. faucibarbatus.

Johnny-Tuck—Orthocarpus erianthus.Yellow Pelican Flower—O. faucibarbatus.

Escobita, Owl's CloverOrthocàrpus densiflòrusPurplish-pinkSpringCalifornia

The Spanish name, which means "little broom," is very appropriate for this pretty plant. The stiff, downy stem is from five to fifteen inches tall and the downy leaves are light green and become tipped with purplish-pink as they mount up the stalk. The flowers are about three-quarters of an inch long and have a white lower lip, which is tipped with yellow and has a crimson dot on each lobe, and the straight, erect "beak" is crimson. The cluster is crowded with purplish-pink and white bracts and though the flowers themselves are not conspicuous the effect is feathery and very pretty, especially when the plants grow in such quantities as to color a whole field with soft pink, or when mixed with beautifully contrasting patches of blue Lupine. This is common along the coast.O. purpuráscens, common in the Northwest and Southwest, is similar, but it has a hairy "beak," hooked at the tip, and the general effect is handsomer and much brighter in color, but less feathery.

Owl's CloverOrthocàrpus purpureo-álbusPink and WhiteSummerAriz., Utah, New Mex.

An interesting annual plant, quite pretty, about a foot high, the stem sometimes branching and the branches suggesting those of a candelabrum, clothed with soft, finely divided, dull green leaves and ending in spikes of green bracts and pretty little flowers, three-quarters of an inch long. The calyx is green, the upper lip of the corolla is purplish-pink and the lower lip is swollen, three-lobed and cream-white, turning pink in fading. This grows in dry places at altitudes of from six to eight thousand feet. Only one of the branches is given in the picture.

Owl's CloverOrthocàrpus exsértusWhite and pinkSpring, summerCalifornia

A pretty little plant, from six to eight inches high, with hairy leaves cut into narrow divisions and passing into pinkish-lilac bracts towards the top of the stalk, which are mixed with pink and white flowers, each about an inch long, so that the effect of the whole is a spike of pink and white. The lower lip of the corolla is white and the upper lip is pink, with a furry tip. This grows in fields.O. attenuàtus, common in fields in the Northwest, is a slender inconspicuouskind, about nine inches tall, with soft, thin, dull green leaves, most of them not lobed, and pale green bracts, often tipped with white. The corollas are dull white, the lower lip dotted with purple or yellow, and the whole effect of the cluster is feathery, very slender, and pale in color.

Owl's-clover—O. purpureo-albus.Escobita—Orthocarpus densiflorus.Owl's-clover—O. exsertus.

Owl's-clover—O. purpureo-albus.Escobita—Orthocarpus densiflorus.Owl's-clover—O. exsertus.

Owl's-clover—O. purpureo-albus.Escobita—Orthocarpus densiflorus.Owl's-clover—O. exsertus.

Owl's-clover—O. purpureo-albus.Escobita—Orthocarpus densiflorus.Owl's-clover—O. exsertus.

There are a good many kinds of Pedicularis, usually with finely-cut leaves and spikes of queerly-shaped flowers, usually yellow, sometimes red or white; the corolla conspicuously two-lipped, the upper lip hood-like, long and narrow, the lower lip three-lobed; the stamens four, two of them short, in the upper lip; the capsule flattened or compressed, beaked, splitting open, and containing many seeds. These plants are supposed to cause lice in sheep that feed on them, so they have the ugly name of Lousewort, both in English and Latin.

Indian WarriorPediculàris densiflòraCrimsonSpringCal., Oreg.

A robust and very decorative plant, with rich coloring. The stout, purplish stems are slightly hairy, from nine inches to nearly two feet tall, and spring from a graceful cluster of large leaves, which are crisp in texture and smooth or slightly downy, rich green and often tinged with bronze. The flowers are an inch or more long, with purplish, hairy calyxes and crimson corollas, and form a very handsome though rather coarse-looking cluster, mixed with purplish bracts, and finely shaded in color, from the carmine buds at the top to the wine-color of the faded flowers at the base. This grows on wooded hillsides and in deep shade. The flowers are sometimes white.

Duck-billPediculàris ornithorhýnchaPinkSummerWash., Oreg.

This is an odd-looking plant, about six inches tall, with a stout, purplish stem, woolly at the top, springing from a pretty cluster of smooth, bright green leaves. The flowers are about three-quarters of an inch long, with purplish, woolly calyxes and bright pink corollas, which are veined and tipped with deeper color, with purplish bracts. They are very eccentric in shape and the upper lip has a ludicrous resemblance to the head of a duck. This grows in the mountains.

Duck-bill—P. ornithorhynca.Indian Warrior—Pedicularis densiflora.

Duck-bill—P. ornithorhynca.Indian Warrior—Pedicularis densiflora.

Duck-bill—P. ornithorhynca.Indian Warrior—Pedicularis densiflora.

Duck-bill—P. ornithorhynca.Indian Warrior—Pedicularis densiflora.

Alpine BetonyPediculàris centranthèraMagenta and whiteSpringUtah, Ariz., New Mex.

This grows in dry rocky soil at high altitudes, forming a low clump of pretty bronze-colored leaves, cut into many small crinkled lobes, and giving the effect of stiff little ferns, with a short spike of oddly pretty flowers, each over an inch long, with a purplish, hairy calyx and a corolla with a white tube and magenta lips, the anthers projecting like sharp little teeth from under the arching upper lip.P. semibarbàta, growing in dry woods in Yosemite, forms a rosette of crinkled bronze foliage, with short spikes of yellow flowers.

Elephants' Heads, Butterfly-tonguePediculàris GroenlándicaPinkSummerWest, etc.

A handsome plant, with quaint flowers. The smooth, slender, purplish stem is a foot or more tall, with a few alternate leaves, and springs from a cluster of smooth, fern-like foliage, much like that ofP. ornithorhyncha, often tinged with bronze, and bears a long, crowded spike of many flowers. They are slightly fragrant, about three-quarters of an inch long, with purplish calyxes and deep pink or reddish corollas, which look absurdly like little elephants' heads. This grows in the mountains, across the continent.

A rather small family, resembling Scrophulariaceae, widely distributed; parasitic herbs, without green foliage, with alternate scales instead of leaves; flowers perfect, irregular; calyx five-cleft, or split on one or both sides; corolla two-lipped; stamens four, in pairs, with slender filaments, on the corolla-tube (sometimes also the rudiment of a fifth stamen); ovary superior, style slender, stigma disk-like, with two or four lobes; fruit a capsule.

There are several kinds of Thalesia.

One-flowered Cancer-rootThalèsia uniflòra (Orobanche)PurplishSpring, summerNorthwest, Utah, etc.

A queer little thing, but pretty and delicate, with a very short stem, mostly underground, bearing one or more slender, slightly hairy, dull yellow, scaly flower-stems from three to eight inches tall, each with a single flower, less than an inch long, with a dull yellow, hairy calyx, and a hairy, lilac corolla, tinged with dullyellow and veined with purple, with two yellow ridges in the throat. This is not common and is found across the continent.

Alpine Betony—Pedicularis centranthera.Elephants' Heads—P. Groenlandica.One-flowered Cancer-root—Thalesia uniflora.

Alpine Betony—Pedicularis centranthera.Elephants' Heads—P. Groenlandica.One-flowered Cancer-root—Thalesia uniflora.

Alpine Betony—Pedicularis centranthera.Elephants' Heads—P. Groenlandica.One-flowered Cancer-root—Thalesia uniflora.

Alpine Betony—Pedicularis centranthera.Elephants' Heads—P. Groenlandica.One-flowered Cancer-root—Thalesia uniflora.

A large family, widely distributed, chiefly tropical. Ours are herbs, or shrubs; leaves opposite or in whorls; flowers regular, usually perfect; calyx with four teeth or none; corolla with four or five united lobes, often hairy inside; stamens on the corolla, as many as its lobes and alternate with them; ovary inferior, with one or two styles; fruit a capsule, berry, or stone-fruit. Coffee, Quinine, and Madder, used for dye, belong to this family. I am told that the latter plant is escaping around Salt Lake and is well established there. The Latin name means "red."

There are many kinds of Houstonia, North American, usually growing in tufts, leaves opposite; flowers small; calyx four-lobed; corolla funnel-form or salver-form, four-lobed; style slender, with two long stigmas; fruit a capsule. Sometimes the flowers are perfect, but usually they are of two kinds, one kind with high anthers and short pistil, the other kind with long pistil and anthers inside the corolla-tube; visiting insects carry pollen from the high anthers of the one to the high stigmas of the other, and from the low anthers to the low stigmas, thus ensuring cross-pollination.

Desert InnocenceHoustònia rùbraPink and whiteSummerArizona

A pretty little desert plant, about two inches high, forming close tufts of sage-green foliage, like harsh moss, with stiff needle-like leaves and woody stems, sprinkled with charming little pink and white flowers. The corolla is three-eighths of an inch across, with a long slender tube, the stamens lilac, and the odd little nodding capsules have two round lobes. This grows in the dreadful sandy wastes of the Petrified Forest.

KelloggiaKellóggia galioìdesSpring, summerWhite, pink, yellowishWest, etc.

The only kind, a slender little plant, from six inches to a foot tall, usually with smooth leaves, with small stipules. The tiny flowers are white, pink, or greenish-yellow, with a bristly calyx, and the corolla usually has four petals, but sometimes five or three; the stigmas two. The fruit is covered with hooked bristles. Thisgrows in mountain woods, as far east as Wyoming.

Kelloggia galioides.Desert Innocence—Houstonia rubra.

Kelloggia galioides.Desert Innocence—Houstonia rubra.

Kelloggia galioides.Desert Innocence—Houstonia rubra.

Kelloggia galioides.Desert Innocence—Houstonia rubra.

There are many kinds of Galium, widely distributed; sometimes shrubs; stems square; leaves in whorls, without stipules; flowers small, usually perfect, in clusters; calyx usually with no border; corolla wheel-shaped, four-lobed; stamens four, short; ovary two-lobed; styles two, short, with round-top stigmas; fruit dry or fleshy, consisting of two similar, rounded parts, each with one seed. The common name, Bed-straw, comes from a tradition that the manger of the Infant Christ was filled with these plants. Other names are Goose-grass and Cleavers.

Northern Bed-strawGàlium boreàleWhiteSummerNorthwest, etc.

A rather attractive, smooth, perennial, with a stout, leafy stem, sometimes branching, and the leaves in fours, with three veins, the margins sometimes rough and hairy. The small flowers are white and so numerous as to be quite pretty. The fruit is small, at first bristly, but smooth when ripe. This grows in northern mountains across the continent, also in Europe and Asia, up to ten thousand feet.

Not a large family, widely distributed, most abundant in the northern hemisphere; herbs, with opposite leaves and no stipules; flowers usually perfect, rather small, in clusters; the calyx sometimes lacking, or small, but often becoming conspicuous in fruit; corolla somewhat irregular, tube sometimes swollen or spurred at base, lobes united and spreading, usually five; stamens one to four, with slender filaments, on the corolla, alternate with its lobes; ovary inferior, with one to three cells, only one containing an ovule, the others empty; style slender; fruit dry, not splitting open, containing one seed.

There are many kinds of Valerianella, much alike, distinguished principally by their fruits.

Corn-saladValerianélla macrosèra (Plectritis)PinkSpring, summerNorthwest, Cal.

This has a juicy stem, from a few inches to over a foot tall, springing from a clump of smooth, very bright green leaves, and bearing most of the flowers at the top, in a small close cluster, with narrow purplish bracts. They are tiny, with a slightly irregular corolla, light pink, with two tinycrimson dots on each side of the lowest lobe, three dark brown anthers, and a calyx without a border. This is rather pretty, growing in long grass in damp places, but the flowers are too small to be effective.

Corn-salad—Valerianella macrosera.Northern Bedstraw—Galium boreale.

Corn-salad—Valerianella macrosera.Northern Bedstraw—Galium boreale.

Corn-salad—Valerianella macrosera.Northern Bedstraw—Galium boreale.

Corn-salad—Valerianella macrosera.Northern Bedstraw—Galium boreale.

There are many kinds of Valerian, rather tall perennials, chiefly of cool regions and some in the Andes. They are more or less bad-smelling plants, especially the root; the leaves mostly from the base and the small flowers in terminal clusters, some of them perfect, some with stamens and pistils on separate plants, some with the two sorts mixed; the calyx with from five to fifteen bristle-like teeth, curled up and inconspicuous in flower, but spread out and feathery in fruit; the corolla white or pink, more or less funnel-form, with five nearly equal lobes; the stamens three; the style sometimes with three minute lobes. The name is from the Latin, meaning "strong," in allusion to the medicinal properties.

Wild ValerianValeriàna sitchénsisWhite, pinkishSummerWash., Oreg.

A very handsome and attractive plant, much like the kind that is cultivated in gardens. It grows from one to three feet tall, from a creeping rootstock, with smooth, juicy, hollow stems and handsome bright green foliage. The leaves are smooth and the leaflets of the stem-leaves are coarsely toothed. The flowers are white or pinkish, with pink buds, and are crowded in fine large, rather flat-topped clusters. The stamens are long and give a pretty feathery appearance to the cluster. The flowers are strongly sweet-scented, but the roots usually have a horrible smell when they are broken.V. sylváticalooks much the same, but the leaves are mostly toothless, and it is widely distributed in the United States, both East and West, also growing in Asia. Both are woodland plants, liking rich moist soil.

Arizona ValerianValeriàna ArizònicaPinkSpringArizona

An attractive plant, from three to nine inches tall, with smooth hollow stems, smooth leaves, and pretty clusters of flowers, but not nearly so large as the last. They are purplish-pink and slightly sweet-scented. This grows in crevices in the rocks in moist places.

White Valerian—Valeriana sitchensis.

White Valerian—Valeriana sitchensis.

White Valerian—Valeriana sitchensis.

White Valerian—Valeriana sitchensis.

Arizona Valerian—Valeriana Arizonica.

Arizona Valerian—Valeriana Arizonica.

Arizona Valerian—Valeriana Arizonica.

Arizona Valerian—Valeriana Arizonica.

Not a large family, mostly of the northern hemisphere; herbs, shrubs, shrubby vines or trees; leaves opposite, usually without stipules; flowers perfect, regular or irregular; calyx with three to five divisions; corolla usually with five united lobes, sometimes two-lipped; stamens on the corolla tube, usually as many as its lobes and alternate with them; ovary inferior, with one style; fruit a berry, stone-fruit, or capsule.

There are many kinds of Lonicera, shrubs, or twining woody vines; leaves usually without teeth or lobes, the upper ones sometimes united around the stem; flowers usually irregular; calyx with five, minute teeth; corolla more or less funnel-shaped, often two-lipped, four lobes forming the upper lip and one lobe the under, tube often swollen at base; stamens five; style with a cap-like stigma; fruit berrylike.

Orange HoneysuckleLonicèra ciliòsaOrange and scarletSummerNorthwest

A climbing or trailing shrub, with brilliant flowers, set off by bright green leaves, thin in texture, with pale "bloom" on the under side and usually hairy margins, the lower ones with short leaf-stalks, the upper usually united and forming a disk. The flowers are scentless, about an inch and a quarter long, with smooth, trumpet-shaped corollas, bright orange at base, shading to scarlet above, with a bright green stigma and crimson or brownish anthers. This lives in the woods and sometimes climbs to the tops of quite tall trees, ornamenting them with its splendid clusters of flowers and sprinkling the forest floor with its fallen blossoms in a shower of scarlet and gold.

Black TwinberryLonicèra involucràtaYellowSpring, summerWest

A bush, from three to seven feet high, with thick, woody, pale gray stems and bright green leaves, glossy and thin in texture, or rather coarse and hairy, with fine hairs along the margins. The flower-stalks each bear a pair of flowers, without scent, emerging from an involucre of two bracts. The corolla is rather hairy and sticky, half an inch or more long, a pretty shade of warm dull yellow, sometimestinged with red outside, with five, short, nearly equal lobes, the tube swollen at base. The involucre becomes dark red, its lobes turn back and display a pair of berries, disagreeable to the taste, as large as peas, nearly black, the whole affair striking in color and form. This grows in moist mountain woods and seems to have smoother, glossier foliage, and smaller flowers, in Utah than elsewhere.

Orange Honeysuckle—L. ciliosa.Black Twinberry—Lonicera involucrata.

Orange Honeysuckle—L. ciliosa.Black Twinberry—Lonicera involucrata.

Orange Honeysuckle—L. ciliosa.Black Twinberry—Lonicera involucrata.

Orange Honeysuckle—L. ciliosa.Black Twinberry—Lonicera involucrata.

Pink HoneysuckleLonicèra hispídulaPinkSummerWash., Oreg., Cal.

Rather pretty, with a woody trunk and hairy twigs, climbing over shrubs and trees, sometimes to a height of twenty feet. The leaves are pale on the under side, the upper ones usually united around the stem, and the flowers are about three-quarters of an inch long, with pink corollas and long stamens, and form long clusters, which are pretty but not effective, though the translucent, orange-red berries are handsome and conspicuous. This varies very much, especially in hairiness and color of the foliage, and is quite common in canyons and along streams in the Coast Ranges. The Yellow Honeysuckle,L. Califórnica, is similar, but with smooth branches and leaves and pale yellow flowers; growing in Oregon and northern California.

There are two kinds of Linnaea.

Twin-flowerLinnaèa boreàlis var. AmericànaPinkSummerNorthwest, Utah, etc.

One of the loveliest of woodland plants; the long, woody stems trail over the ground and send up straight, slender branches, a few inches tall, clothed with leathery, evergreen leaves, bright green and glossy, and terminating in a slender, slightly hairy flower-stalk, which bears a pair of little nodding flowers, about half an inch long, hanging on very slender pedicels, with two bracts. The corollas are regular, with five lobes, delicate pink, veined with deeper color and paler at the margins, with a white pistil and four, white stamens, not protruding. The fruit is roundish and dry, with one seed. This often carpets the forest floor with its glossy foliage, ornamenting the moss with its fairy-like blossoms, which perfume the air with a fragrance like Heliotrope. It is found in cold, mountain woods, up to thirteen thousand feet, across the continent and also in Europe and Asia, and was named after Linnaeus because it was a favorite of his.

Pink Honeysuckle—Lonicera hispidula.Twin-flower—Linnaea borealis var. Americana.

Pink Honeysuckle—Lonicera hispidula.Twin-flower—Linnaea borealis var. Americana.

Pink Honeysuckle—Lonicera hispidula.Twin-flower—Linnaea borealis var. Americana.

Pink Honeysuckle—Lonicera hispidula.Twin-flower—Linnaea borealis var. Americana.

There are several kinds of Symphoricarpos, of North America and Mexico; low, branching shrubs, with small leaves, scaly leaf-buds, and small, pink or white flowers, with two bracts, in clusters; the calyx roundish, with four or five teeth; the corolla regular, more or less bell-shaped, with four or five lobes; the fruit a roundish, white or red berry, containing two bony seeds. We often find Snowberries cultivated in old-fashioned gardens.

SnowberrySymphoricàrpos racemòsusPinkSpring, summerU. S.

An attractive shrub, about four feet high, with slender branches and yellowish twigs. The pretty leaves are mostly smooth, rich green, but not glossy, paler and sometimes downy on the under side, thin, but rather crisp in texture, usually with a few shallow scallops along the margins. The flowers are about a quarter of an inch long, with bell-shaped corollas, purplish-pink outside, white and woolly in the inside, the stamens and style not protruding. The berry is large and pure-white, with white, almost tasteless pulp, which is said to be slightly poisonous. This is very common in California, in the hill country, and is found across the continent.

SnowberrySymphoricàrpos longiflòrusWhiteSummerArizona

A straggling shrub, from two to three feet high, with small, slightly velvety, rather pale green leaves, white on the under side, sometimes set edgewise on the stem. The flowers are about half an inch long, with a slender, white, salver-form corolla, with widely separating lobes and very smooth inside, the anthers partially protruding from the throat, and the pretty berries are waxy-white. This grows at the Grand Canyon.

SnowberrySymphoricàrpos oreóphilusPinkSpring, summerIdaho, Utah, Ariz.

A branching shrub, not especially pretty, about three feet high, with shreddy bark, pinkish twigs, and light, bluish-green, toothless leaves, usually smooth. The flowers are about half an inch long, with a tubular corolla, with short lobes, flesh-color, tinged with purplish-pink, the stamens and style not protruding and the buds purplish-pink. This grows in the mountains, up to eight or ten thousand feet.

S. oreophilus.S. longiflorus.Snowberry—Symphoricarpos racemosus.

S. oreophilus.S. longiflorus.Snowberry—Symphoricarpos racemosus.

S. oreophilus.S. longiflorus.Snowberry—Symphoricarpos racemosus.

S. oreophilus.S. longiflorus.Snowberry—Symphoricarpos racemosus.

A large family, chiefly of the tropics, climbing or trailing, herbaceous vines, usually with tendrils, rather juicy, with no stipules; leaves alternate, with leaf-stalks, usually lobed or cut; flowers some staminate and some pistillate; calyx bell-shaped or tubular, usually five-lobed; petals mostly united, usually five, on the calyx; stamens generally three, with short filaments, often united; ovary inferior; fruit fleshy, often with a hard rind, usually with flat seeds.

There are many kinds of Micrampelis, natives of America.

Chilicothe, Wild CucumberMicrámpelis fabàcea (Echinocystis)WhiteSummerCalifornia

A graceful, decorative vine, with many tendrils and spreading to a great distance, sometimes as much as thirty feet, partly climbing over bushes and partly on the ground, springing from an enormous bitter root as large as a man's body, the leaves slightly rough. The pretty little flowers are half an inch across, the calyx with small teeth or with none and the corolla cream-white, with from five to seven lobes; the staminate flowers in loose clusters and the pistillate ones single. The fruit is peculiar and conspicuous, a big green ball, very prickly and measuring two inches across. The Indians used to make hair-oil out of the seeds. This is also called Big-root and Man-in-the-ground.

There are several kinds of Cucurbita, natives of America, Asia, and Africa. This is the Latin name for the Gourd.

Calabazilla, GourdCucúrbita foetidíssimaYellowSpringSouthwest, etc.

This is a near relation of the common Pumpkin and Squash and resembles them. It is an exceedingly coarse, but very decorative vine, with bristly stems, trailing on the ground and sometimes twenty-five feet long. The leaves are about eight inches long, bluish-gray, thick and velvety, covered with bristles and exceedingly unpleasant to touch but handsome in appearance. The gaudy flowers measure five or six inches across, with a bristly calyx and bell-shaped, orange-yellow corolla. The root is enormous, sometimes six feet long, the fruit is a smooth, yellow gourd, and the whole plant has a horrible smell. This is found in dry soil, from Nebraska west, and is common in southern California.

Chilicothe—Micrampelis fabacea.

Chilicothe—Micrampelis fabacea.

Chilicothe—Micrampelis fabacea.

Chilicothe—Micrampelis fabacea.

A large family, widely distributed. Ours are small herbs, with bitter milky juice; leaves alternate, without stipules; flowers perfect, usually with five sepals; corolla with five united lobes; stamens five; ovary inferior, style long, sometimes hairy, with two to five stigmas, which do not expand until some time after the flower opens.

There are a great many kinds of Campanula; ours are chiefly perennials, with more or less bell-shaped corollas; the capsule tipped with the remains of the calyx and opening at the sides by minute holes. The name is from the Latin, meaning "little bell."


Back to IndexNext